Header image for Interrobang article Following Aleen Hopps as he celebrates Halloween all year long. Allen shares his crazy obsession with all things scary and give prop how-to and tips and tricks.

Each year, people are finding creative ways to enhance costumes and houses on Halloween. Sites such as YouTube and Pinterest have begun to offer users the ability to research and get inspired from other users who have taken everyday items and manipulated their properties to get an extra scare during the season.

YouTuber Allen Hopps of Stiltbeast Studios is a user who has taken to items that can be picked up at Walmart and other local stores. One of his creations was a way to make fake skin that could be used to make dramatic wounds. Hopps explains that a person attempting this only needs:

• Tongue compressor

• 1/3 measuring cup

• Gelatin (a product used to create jam)

• Glycerin (a natural skin protector)

• Fake blood

Visit Youtube to watch the video. “Making prosthetics with gelatin”

Hopps’ recipe can be broken down further. Steve Spangler, a scientist who has been on for his Ellen every day science tricks hosts an online show called The Spangler Effect. Spangler used items from his pantry to create realistic blood. Spangler’s recipe calls for:

• Blender

• Plastic cups

• White towel

• Corn syrup

• Water

• Assorted food colouring

• Cornstarch

• Chocolate syrup

• Tropical fruit punch (Hawaiian fruit punch works great)

• Powdered cocoa

Visit Youtube to watch the video. “Homemade Fake Blood”

DIY horror has also become a trend that many YouTubers pick up in October. Cloe of CloeCouture has over a million subscribers and posted a DIY costume video where she showcases 30 costumes for women and how to create specific items out of felt and glue to bring the costume together. Her video has received over 3 million views with the majority of the feedback being positive from users.

However, females are not the only demographic for DIY costumes and make-up. A growing number of male YouTubers have begun to release make-up and costume tutorials to help create some unique looks for parties.

Jaird Woo of Jairwoo is one male YouTube who focuses on style and everyday products for men. For his look, simplicity is key. In his last minute skeleton make-up tutorial, he explains how men will only need white face paint, black face paint and eyeliner to create a spooky appearance.

Professional make up artists have also used Halloween as an opportunity to showcase creepy and complex appearances. One artist known as Pinkstylist uses his talents to make tutorials for users that recreate monsters from popular hor- ror films and legends such as: Jigsaw from the Saw films, Chuckie the killer doll, Slenderman, Jeff the Killer and other. He proceeds to log onto social media sites such a s Chatroulette and Omegle to scare users as they are matched with him for a conversation.

Halloween cosmetics are not the only discoveries people have found using everyday items. On Pinterest, homemade animatronics are becoming a common prop that people can make for their homes. Some animatronics use garbage bins with pneumatic pumps to launch a jack-olantern from the lid to scare unsuspecting visitors.

DIY horror is a theme that the Space and Syfy networks have picked up on through Peter Ney’s show Face-Off. The show pits aspiring artists against one another each week where they must create full characters or groups of characters that meet a specific theme.

As the show presents a new challenge, specific talents are needed to complete the task, which educates viewers on the production of the costume. Due to the time crunch and the skill of the artists, contestants become resourceful by thinking of special shortcuts, which educates the viewers and inspires other artists to try their methods. Special aesthetics, prosthetics and animatronics are utilized to create an original character.

DIY horror is just one example of the creativity that people are bringing to various occasions. Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day and other holidays offer people a variety of tricks and treats that can be used to personalize the event.

Allen Hopps, Steve Spangler, Cloe, Jarid Woo, Pinkstylist and artists on Face-Off are just a few examples of how Halloween is one opportunity to be creative and try something new throughout the year.